


Bickering

by My_floaty_coaty_boy



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Arguing, Bickering, Established Relationship, Fluff, Secret Relationship, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, kind of?, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 16:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17943329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_floaty_coaty_boy/pseuds/My_floaty_coaty_boy
Summary: Dean and Cas fight. This is a fact of life. They fight about everything: Whose family is worse, whose car is better, whether Star Wars or Trek is the better franchise. The only thing they can apparently agree on is their taste in friends, hence the reason they can be seen together grouped with Charlie, Jo, and Benny, every lunchtime.When Castiel introduces the group to his new friend Hannah, the dynamic between friends only improves--until the announcement of the Annual Winter Dance.





	Bickering

**Author's Note:**

> YOOOOO i literally just wrote this for the car argument but go off
> 
> Im workin on many things  
> bear with me  
> please

 

Castiel grabbed his school bag from it’s space by the front door as the horn of the Impala tore through the air for the third time that morning. He yelled goodbye to his family but didn’t wait for a reply before slamming the door behind him and letting his momentum from the stairs carry him to the black muscle car, thanking Charlie as she threw the back door open for him.

Sam spun in the front passenger seat, his grin wide and far too energetic for a Tuesday--especially _this_ Tuesday. “Mornin’ Cas! Wake up late?”

Dean scoffed from the driver seat, putting the car into gear and pulling away from Castiel’s house in the direction of Lawrence High. “‘Course he did; he stayed up studyin’ for bio last night ‘n’ now we’re gonna be late for the actual test.”

“What’s one more tardy for you, Dean? I’m just helping you add to the collection.”

“Hardy har-har,” Dean huffed, flicking his gaze between Cas’ in the rearview mirror and the road ahead of them, where students they recognised were growing in numbers as they trekked to school.

Benny leant forward so he could see Castiel around Charlie. “You ready for the rehearsal, mon frere? Not gonna konk out over your drums?”

Castiel’s brow furrowed, and he tilted his head in the way his friends had dubbed, ‘The Beagle’. “I thought it we were doing Jazz, not Rock today? I bought my sax.”

Benny huffed and rolled his eyes, allowing a smile to tug at his mouth. “The day you remember what instrument you’re supposed to be playing, the world’ll end.”

“Well, maybe the world needs a saxophone cover of _Cherry Pie_.”

“Yeah, but I could’ve done without the harp version of _Back In Black_ .” Dean grinned at the memory, “Although, I’ll give you credit for the violin _Freebird_ at the Autumn show--that was pretty awesome.” The car turned, and swung into a parking space.

“Thank you, Dean.” Castiel preened at the compliment, and Charlie gasped, hand on her chest.

“I’m sorry--did you just have a _pleasant conversation_ with each other? Benny, check my pulse--What universe are we in?”

“The universe where we’re still late!” Sam all but flew out the car, waving goodbye to his brother and friends as he ran up the school steps.

The group chuckled over his eagerness, comments about goody-goody freshmen pulling nostalgic musings from them as they made their ways to their respective lessons.

Dean and Castiel were late for their biology test.

Professor Crowley made them stay in afterwards.

 

The group reunited at lunch--plus Jo, who woke up early enough to walk that morning, for once. When Castiel sat down, he was joined by a brunette girl with a shy smile and kind but wary eyes. He introduced her as Hannah, and told them she was new. She smiled shyly and told them she would probably forget all their names.

They talked about the new _Avengers_ film and when they were going to see it together, until Dean proclaimed that while Black Widow was pretty cool, and Bucky Barnes was hot in a kind of rugged way, the film they should see together was the new DC flick.

Charlie, Benny, and Jo braced themselves as Castiel’s brow furrowed. Hannah looked between them, confused as he spoke, “Uh, no, Dean, I’m not going to watch a man dressed in black grumble moodily against a black backdrop when I can see _Chris. Evans._ Just... _existing_." 

Dean sighed loudly and heavily, “ _Not even the best Chris, Cas!_ ”

Castiel stuck his tongue out, and Dean flipped him off. “At least I don’t have a crush on a woman who dresses up like a cat.”

“You leave Anne Hathaway outta this!”

“What do _you_ think, Hannah? _Marvel_ or _DC_?” Jo pushed the conversation towards the newcomer and away from the squabbling boys.

“Uh--I like _Lego Batman_ . _Thor’s_ pretty cool, I guess.” It was clear she didn’t want to get in the middle of their conversation, but the group nodded.

 _“_ Well, I guess we’ll just have to see both, and judge which is the best!” Charlie grinned.

“We don’t _need_ to; I’m right, but I suppose in the name of fairness and equal opportunity, we could see the other one, too.”

“Yeah, then you can see that I’m right, DC is better, and you’ll be totally and completely hu- _miliated_.”

Castiel opened his mouth to retort, but Sam sat heavily next to him, grin ever-present. “Guys! The winter dance posters are up!”

Charlie, welcoming the distraction, ooh-ed, “you’re gonna ask Jess, huh?”

Sam blushed and looked like he regretted bringing it up. “Uh--I don’t...we’re just friends.”

Benny hummed, “Sure, brother, and Charlie’s straight, Cas is tone deaf, and Dean has a good taste in films.”

“ _Hey!”_ Dean exclaimed, and was largely ignored.

“What’s the theme then, Sam?” Jo asked, saving him from his torture.

“Just Winter Wonderland, like last year. I think they’re doing a snow-globe thing--Eileen’s on the committee and she says they rented a snow machine.”

“Who’re you gonna ask, guys?”

“I think ‘m gonna ask Andrea.” Benny’s gruff voice was shy, but Dean clapped him on the back, mumbling, ‘finally’.

“I know who I’d ask, but I’m not sure if I should… I might go without a date.” Hannah hummed, and Charlie nodded,

“Me too, unless Dorothy asks me.”

“What about you, Dean? Gonna ask someone?” Castiel grinned.

“Oh, I’ve got my eye on one lucky person.” Dean chuckled, as the bell rang calling them away to lessons.

  


So the week progressed, Hannah joining them every lunchtime and the days when Castiel drove them home (as the only members of the group who could drive, Dean and Castiel alternated carpooling for the ones that needed it. Hannah could walk to school on her own, but had to get back home quickly to take care of her younger sister while her parents worked.)

The _Marvel/DC_ argument wasn’t the only one of the week--not by a long shot. In the car home on Wednesday, Dean and Cas fought about who’s brother was more of a nerd. On Thursday morning, when the group hung out before school, they fought about whether Captain Kirk or Anakin Skywalker would win in a fistfight. Friday lunch they fought over who’s _favourite colour_ was better. Hannah told them she’d never known two people to fight so much, which sparked a fight over how _many times_ they’d fought over the past month.

Jo laughed at Hannah’s exasperated face, and Benny told her it was best to just let them quarrel.

 

They went to the movies on Friday night--saw both films back-to-back. Hannah sat next to Castiel and he shared his popcorn with her. They agreed that the new _Avengers_ was indeed better than the new _Batman_ , and Dean sulked all the way to the Roadhouse, the diner/bar that Jo’s mother owned and ran.

“Aww, Dean, I’m sorry I bruised your ego.” Castiel pouted in mock sympathy as they slid into their regular booth, Charlie grabbing a spare chair to allow Hannah to slide in between Cas and Sam. Dean sat opposite Cas, Jo opposite Hannah, and Benny opposite Sam.

“No, you’re not. Although, if you truly feel that bad, you can buy me a milkshake to make up for it,” Dean grinned. None of them looked at a menu; they’d been here enough they probably knew it by heart. Hannah asked for one of whatever Castiel was having when Jo’s mom Ellen took their usual orders.

Castiel didn’t let the distraction end their conversation, “ha-ha, nice try, cheapskate; I drove you here.”

“ _Exactly_ ; I deserve emotional compensation for having to ride in that deathtrap.”

“ _‘Deathtrap’_? Your car has no seatbelts!”

“Yeah, but at least I can _drive_.”

“Oh, fuck off, Winchester!”  

The conversation shifted when Ellen snapped at them for using ‘that kind of fuckin’ language’ in her bar.

“Well, Benny, I heard Andrea said yes!” Hannah grinned, and Benny ducked his head.

“Yeah; she’s goin’ dress shoppin’ next weekend, if y’all wanna go with her.”

“So,” Dean started, “Benny’s takin’ Andrea, Jo an’ Ash are goin’ together, but not _together-together_ , Jess asked Sam ‘cause he was too chicken,” Sam threw a balled-up napkin at him, “Char, you askin’ Dorothy?”

Charlie grinned lavisciously, “Well, y’know, we might skip it--her parents aren’t home that night.”

“At least show up for the start!” Castiel implored her.

“Dean, you said you were going to ask someone--did you yet?” Hannah smiled, and Dean huffed.

“Oh, he’s bein’ difficult, but I think I’ll get him to come ‘round.”

Jo laughed, “oh, yeah, sure, like he’d ever say no to you. Whose car’re we takin’?”

Hannah looked like she wanted to say something, but their food arrived, and by the time they’d all started eating, her opportunity had passed.

"We can take my car.” Dean and Castiel both said, sharing a startled and semi-offended gasp.

Dean spoke first, "What, you want us all cram into _shitty shitty bang bang?_ I don’t think so."

"Better that than the Bat-shit-mobile." Castiel snorted.

Half the table gasped at the insult--everyone knew how much Dean cared for his car. " _How dare_ you! What’s Baby ever done to you?!"

"Nothing; its the owner I find exhausting."

“Oh, car puns? Really, Cas?”

“I must be hanging around you too much.”

“OK, guys, we’ll need both cars--there’s no way we can all fit in one.” Charlie giggled, and the two looked at her with twin pouts.

“ _Fine_. But you’re walking to school on Monday, Cas.”

“Fine by me.”

 

Despite their words, Dean picked Castiel up as he always did on Monday, with Charlie, Benny, and Sam all crammed into the car.

The week was just a repeat of the last: Too many lessons, too much homework, and Castiel forgot which band he was playing in until Benny reminded him.

And, of course, the fighting.

This week the topics varied even more than the last: Who got a higher score in their Algebra test; Whether _Indiana Jones_ actually played a useful role in _Lost Ark;_ Whether Castiel cheated at _MarioKart_ ; who’s date for the Winter Wonderland dance would be hotter.

The weekend before the dance, Castiel offered to take Charlie, Hannah, and Andrea dress shopping, (Jo would continue her tradition of wearing suits.) Hannah sat in the front, Chalire and Andrea in the back of Castiel’s Lincoln Continental--’ _The Pimpmobile_ ’ as Dean called it-- as they drove the thirty minutes from Lawrence to Topeka. Hannah turned the radio on only to find out from Andrea that a tape had been stuck in the player for six months--a Classic Rock collection that Castiel smiled fondly at, despite claiming his lack of interest in much of the genre just a few days before (mostly to bait Dean into another fight.) 

 

The mall was _heaving_ , but Charlie seemed to know her way around, guiding them to a small-ish dress shop on the first floor.

“This place is great--they do _everything_.” Charlie whispered to them before greeting the soft-spoken, fair-haired woman behind the counter. “Hey Gil, got anythin’ for us?”

‘Gil’ smiled and led them to the back, where copious amounts of dresses, skirts, and capes in all colours and styles hung from rails all over the walls. She pulled out several options for each girl after talking with them briefly about what they wanted, and sent Andrea and Charlie into the two changing rooms, allowing Castiel and Hannah to settle onto a velvet sofa that faced a large mirror that covered the far wall.

“Do you have a date, Hannah?” Castiel enquired, fiddling with the mesh fabric of one of her dresses.

“I...I haven’t asked him, yet, but maybe.”

“Anyone would be lucky to have you, Han.” Castiel grinned.

“Thank you, Cas, I...I was actually hoping that...well, maybe you’d go with me.”

“We’re going as a group, Han, of course--”

“No, no, I mean...as my _date._ ”

Castiel’s brow furrowed, and he looked like he was about to speak, but Chalire burst out of her changing room in a beautiful green poofy dress. Andrea emerged a second later in a pale lilac knee-length dress, and Gil ushered Hannah into the changing room to try on her blue, floor-length number.

By the time she came out, the others all had shopping bags with the logo of the shop on, so she bought her selected dress quickly and they bundled into the car.

Castiel still hadn’t mentioned her invite.

 

“Dean,” Hannah began, her tone careful. They were walking out of fourth period Chem, a class that only the two of them within their group shared. Professor Talbot had let them out early, so the halls were all but empty before the lunch bell rang.

“Yeah?” He glanced up at her while shoving his books in his blue locker, scratched and dented from years of use.

“Why do you hate Cas so much?”

Dean dropped a book. “What?”

“Well, you two fight all the time, and he’s not a bad person, I don’t understand this... _dislike_ you have for each other. You have the same taste in friends, I don’t--”

“I don’t hate Cas--Hannah, why...you...You _do know_ we’re dating, right?”

“...what?”

At her expression, Dean chuckled, “Yeah, two years next month...Did...did you seriously not know?”

“But...Your fights…”

“Those aren’t _fights_ , Han, thats...that’s _flirting_ , that’s teasing, that’s...it’s just _fun_.”

“But...but you were fighting over whos date would be hottest!”

“ _Flirting_! We were talking about each other!”

“... _Oh.”_ Hannah, to her credit, looked shaken. “I...I asked Castiel to the dance when he took us dress shopping.”

Dean barked a laugh. “I-I’m sorry, but that...Cas is gay, Han-- _very_ gay. He’s wearin’ a _skirt_ to this dance thing.”

“A skirt?”

“Yeah, an’ a poofy white shirt thing, like some kinda queer elf.”

Hannah giggled, somewhat strained, but continued to walk with Dean towards their usual lunch table. “Do...do you argue that much when no-one’s around?”

Dean snorts. “Sometimes, mostly just the dumb, normal stuff. Mostly we just chill out, though.”

“‘Normal’ stuff? Dean, the other day you argued for ten minutes about the right way to pronounce the word ‘egg’. At this point, I have no idea what your 'normal' is!"

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

 

“Hannah, may I speak with you, please?” It was the end of lunch, and Castiel, Benny, and Hannah were headed to art. Hannah nodded and Benny left them in the hallway. “We need to talk about what happened at the weekend.”

“Cas, I’m so sorry, it was a misunderstanding. I...I didn’t know you and Dean were together.”

Castiel looked surprised for moment, caught off guard, “I...I see. Well, then, I suppose...I suppose that’s that.”

“I suppose it is.” She bit back a grin as he seemed to stumble over the recovery and internally weep for the loss of what was evidently a well-planned speech. Eventually, he sighed, a smile sneaking onto his face. “If the others hear about this, you’ll never live it down.”

“I know. I think Dean told them when we got up, though.”

“Ah. My apologies. He thinks he’s funny.”

“You think so, too.”

Castiel’s expression softened and his smile turned sincere. “I do,” Hannah barked a laugh when he spoke again; “just don’t tell him I said that.”

**Author's Note:**

> comment?  
> Also, didya catch the Adventure Zone reference?  
> OH! before I forget! clothes dont define gender, sexuality, or anything like that! it's just fabric! but Dean isn't the most tactful, huh  
> I might revisit this if im in the mood for plotless fluff


End file.
